


The Night Is Wasting Away

by sophoklesworld



Series: Come Rain or Shine [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, Multi, One Shot, Post-Season/Series 02, i think, the party and monster hunting trio have sleepovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 12:58:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12682380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophoklesworld/pseuds/sophoklesworld
Summary: "It’s easier to sleep, when we’re all together", he admitted, lowly, so no one but them would hear in the loud canteen. "Fewer nightmares."





	The Night Is Wasting Away

**Author's Note:**

> This is my attempt at NaNoWriMo and at processing this awesome second season.
> 
> Title from 'I Do Believe (I Fell In Love)' by Donna Summer from the Stranger Things Soundtrack.
> 
> Enjoy!

Steve dreaded driving back to the Byers’ house. He didn’t know if Billy was still there but since they had driven off with his car the probability was high. Steve didn’t know what he feared more — Billy driving off with Steve’s own car or him still being there.

When they reached the house, his car was still there. So Steve told the kids to get out of the car but stay outside as he went inside to check for Billy.

Surprisingly, the guy was still knocked out so Steve called the dipshits in and together they dragged Billy to his car before locking themselves in the house while waiting for the official 'starting team'.

Billy stirred just as Hopper pulled up next to him. Steve struggled - and predictably failed - to hold Mike back from running to El’s side.

Billy was just about to start another ruckus, so naturally, Steve rushed after Mike, building a barricade between the kids and Billy. Every muscle in his bloodied and bruised face screamed that this was a Bad Idea. But he’d promised (and he wasn’t kidding himself anymore — he liked the assholes).

Billy’s attention was on Steve but he seemed more hesitant in his approach (and Steve really wanted to know what the kids had done to him apart from knocking him out).

Still, Billy yelled into the direction of the house "Max! I know you’re in there! Get your shitty little ass into the car! We’re going home."

"I’m not coming with you!", Max yelled before Steve could say anything. He turned slightly and was relieved to see that Max was halfway hidden behind Dustin and Lucas who blocked the door.

 

Billy made half a step towards the house, taking a breath as if he was about to yell something.

Steve tensed and really, he has never been more happy to have the Chief here. Because Hopper, bless him, planted himself between Billy and Steve, between Billy and all the kids.

"You should probably leave", he said coolly.

Billy looked furious but since he couldn’t go and attack a police officer he gritted his teeth and ground out, "I’m supposed to take Max home."

"How about you tell your parents, she’s staying over at a friend’s place." Hopper crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Steve could have sworn he saw a flicker of fear on Billy’s face.  
When Billy didn’t answer, Hopper narrowed his eyes at him, like he was trying to figure something out.

"I can call your parents and tell them Max is staying over." Hopper’s voice was careful, like he was testing a theory but also with a resolution that didn’t leave room for arguments.

After a moment, where no one dared to say a word, the Chief and Steve carefully watching Billy’s jaw work, Billy said in a low voice, "That would be good."

Hopper nodded, still not moving.

A few beats later, Billy seemed to get the memo since he then nodded once, curtly, before turning and getting in his car.

The kids and Steve collectively released a relieved breath and it was so in unison the word 'hive mind' came to thought and almost made Steve laugh hysterically. 

"Christ, what happened to your face, Steve?", Hopper asked.  
"That asshole", Steve said, waving after Billy’s car. Then he turned, only to see the kids run at him cheering.

Mike and El were hugging each other and smiling softly at the others.

Hopper shook his head.

"Inside, all of you. Max, I need your parents’ number. I want to call them before he gets home", he gestured towards the road. "Want me to carry you, kid?", he asked El.

She shook her head, hanging on to Mike for dear life.

"Alright. Let’s wait for Will inside."

"C’mon", Steve said, ushering the kids after the Chief, taking El’s other side so Mike wouldn’t have to support her all by himself.

 

*  *  *

 

There was a lot of hugging, when Joyce and Will finally entered the house. They both looked awfully exhausted. Steve was currently trying to scratch together whatever food he could find. It wasn’t much, since the fridge was now largely occupied by a monster and the food previously cooled was spilt on the ground. He didn’t want to intrude the moment, so he stayed in the kitchen, watching from afar.

Everyone else gathered around Will, the boys excitedly telling him about what had happened in his absence, expansively describing the story of how 'Steve got his ass handed by Billy, but did so very nicely'. It was nice to see Will's face light up again, his eyes full of life and his smile genuine. Not so nice was the fact that Nancy and Byers entered (hand in hand, which Steve couldn’t even be bothered to be mad about) the exact moment Dustin elaborated on how Billy had hit Steve over the head with a plate.

Nancy made a shocked sound, her eyes darting over to where Steve was standing in the kitchen.

She clapped her hands over her mouth when she saw his face, and Steve saw the accusation and worried concern battle in her eyes. She rushed over to him, but what surprised Steve was that Byers was faster. He stood in front of Steve so sudden, Steve almost dropped the kitchen towel he clasped.

"What-", he blinked away his surprise as Byers carefully took his face in his hand. His lips were pressed together in a tight angry line.

Nancy’s face appeared next to Byers’ shoulder. She flicked her eyes between the two before studying Steve’s face.

"Bathroom", she said with a tight, almost angry voice. "We’re going to clean you up."

Steve couldn’t have argued, even if he had wanted to because Nancy had already turned and was heading to the bathroom and because Byers manhandled him into following her without a word. Steve wasn’t really aware of what was happening, only that he felt surprisingly strong, warm hands on his shoulder and suddenly he was pressed down to sit on the edge of the bathtub.

 

Nancy knelt down in front of Steve, a wet towel in one hand while she lightly tracked her other hand along his jaw. Her touch still tingled as much as always.

"Oh, Steve", she said. Her voice was sad and worried. The _'what where you thinking_ ' was left unsaid but Steve could hear it loud and clear. It was audible as much as it was visible in Byers’ posture from where he was standing behind Nance, arms crossed and his face still angry. _Angry on my behalf_ , Steve thought.

He’d just spend a day tracking monsters from another realm called Upside Down with a bunch of kids, one of which had _kidnapped_ him to help them. He’d given girl-advice to one of the kids, followed by hair-do advice. He’d built a bunker with those kids. He had a fight with a jackass over said kids. He’d been kidnapped _again_ by those kids. He woke up in a _car, driven by those kids_. Only to burn down a part of the Upside Down with those kids. And then he protected those kids against that jackass Billy _again_. But somehow, this right here, this situation was the weirdest thing of his day.

His ex(?)-girlfriend and her new(?) boyfriend _worrying_ over _him_.

"You should be more careful. Don’t antagonize him." Byers’ voice was genuine and what he said was something Steve was aware of, really. But that it was coming from _Jonathan Byers_ and directed at _Steve_. It was too much. Steve started laughing uncontrollably and probably very hysterically. He was shaking so hard, Nancy had to retract her hands from his face so she wouldn’t hurt him more.

 

A year ago, Steve had apologized to Byers — for being a jackass, for breaking his camera (and he’s pretty sure Byers knew he payed for the new one at least in parts) — and Byers had apologized to him. Though the past year, Nancy had been friends with Byers. Steve and him had not been the best of friends, but whenever Nancy had coaxed him out of the dark room to eat lunch with them, Steve hadn’t objected and they were nice to each other. And even though Steve didn’t know where he stood with Nancy right now, he was pretty sure there was something between Byers and Nancy (Byers had had a thing for her all along, Steve knew that much. He may be pretty damn oblivious but he wasn’t that dense. He’s seen Byers looking at Nance, but for her sake, he hadn’t said a thing). Whatever was going on, he was sure he was supposed to hate Byers now, and Byers him. But instead there was only _worry_ in both their faces. It was as disconcerting as it was heart warming.

All this went through Steve’s mind while he was laughing. He couldn’t catch his breath and his ribcage started to hurt. But then there were hands on his shoulders, heavy weights pulling him down, back into the present, onto the solid ground.

Big dark eyes were staring right into him, Byers’ face a few inches away.

With a shuddering breath, Steve’s lungs expanded. He just sat there, staring into these eyes, breathing. Slowly, he started hearing Byers’ voice. "In and out, that’s it. You’re okay. The gate is closed. Everything’s gonna be alright."

Steve almost started laughing again because Byers thought he was worried about the Upside Down, about Billy and not about this fucking situation.

From the corner of his eyes, though, Steve saw Nancy, sitting on the floor, worrying her lip with her teeth, full of concern. It kept him from laughing again.

Carefully, Byers let go. "You good?", he asked.

Steve nodded. He was gonna be fine. This situation wasn’t bad, was it? They apparently still wanted him around, and he wasn’t going to have to rely on pre-teens as his only friends.

Quietly, Nancy finished cleaning Steve up.

When she was done, she put the first-aid kit back into the cupboard under the sink and the three went back into the living room.

 

*  *  *

 

That night, after everything was over, after everyone could breathe again (and after the three of them conveniently missed the 'Demodog in the Fridge Fallout' when Joyce and Hopper discovered that particular mess), they built a giant blanket fort in the Byers’ living room.

As exhausted as everyone was, they all helped. Joyce and Hopper tore down all the pages with vines drawn on them, leaving the walls blank again. The older Byers brought all the blankets he could find to the living room while Steve and Nancy pulled the mattresses from the rooms.

The kids set to building up the fort, still huddled closely together. Mike wouldn’t let El out of his sight. She couldn’t help much, still too exhausted but she piled up all the pillows.

Steve kept glancing at Nancy and Byers who brushed past each other with little touches and small smiles. It was a weird sight. He didn’t really know how to deal with it, even after his hazy breakdown in the bathroom, but he guessed he had to deal with it somehow. They deserved to be happy and if Nancy wasn’t happy with him, he wouldn’t make her stay.

But then Nancy sent that same small smile his way when she passed him and he felt warm despite himself. He wanted to hate her for it but he couldn’t, too relieved they were all still alive. He wanted to hate himself for feeling happy when she smiled at him like that, the same smile she had sent his way a million times in the last year. But he couldn’t. Too relieved to be still in her heart in some way. He wanted to hate Byers, for receiving these little smiles, too. But he couldn’t. Still remembering those big eyes grounding him, the worry in them, the way he could breathe again. And too relieved to know he, too, was still alive, so happy to see Byers with Will, that he wanted to smile at him just like Nancy did.

When Joyce announced that everyone should call their parents to let them know about their whereabouts she was met with groans from everyone. Hopper, of course supported Joyce and when Nancy finally went over to the phone to start the long number of calls they were going to make, Steve met Byers’ eyes. Only to make a double take because he sent Steve the same small warm smile that Nancy had thrown his way. It made Steve feel funny feelings he didn’t want to examine too closely. Not knowing what else to do, though, he smiled back tentatively. Byers turned his face away to try to hide his smile that seemed bigger now, and Steve could swear that a blush was blooming over Byers’ face. Huh. Weird.

 

*  *  *

 

Steve was pressed between a lot of bodies when he woke up. Somehow, Steve had ended up in the dead center of the 'puppy pile’. The kids had swarmed around him when they’d settled in. Will had been settled between Byers and Joyce. Nancy had lay down on Mike’s side next to the older Byers. Since there were only so many places surrounding Will, not everyone could lie next to him. So instead, the other’s piled on Steve’s other side. El was wedged between Mike and Hopper, and Lucas and Max lay next to Steve and Dustin was lying on Steve’s other side and had his head pillowed on his stomach. This whole setup had put Byers' and Nancy’s heads right next to Steve's. There had been a lot of touching all the way around, everyone was making sure the others were still there and safe. Byers’ had squeezed Steve’s shoulder when he settled in and turned his attention to Will.

The breathing and warm bodies around him, the surprisingly heavy weight of Dustin’s head on his stomach and Nancy’s hand on his shoulder, that for some reason wormed under Byers’ head onto Steve’s body were a comfort that had lulled him into sleep quickly.

He woke up with a start, his heart running a mile a minute. He knew where he was, knew how he got here. It was all right there. He didn’t exactly have a nightmare, but the quiet breathing and Dustin’s loud snoring were a balm for his soul, a reminder that everyone was okay. Steve smiled, feeling safe and warm. He knew none of them were really okay, wouldn’t be for a long time. But they had each other and that made them strong and he was sure, together they would get through this.

Carefully, he extracted himself from underneath Dustin and the limbs that where _everywhere_ and started to find breakfast for everyone. It was the first time in a long time that he wouldn’t eat breakfast alone, he realized as he turned on the coffee machine. He looked back at the pile of limbs and heads that slowly started to stir and thought he wouldn’t mind eating breakfast with these people more often.

 

*  *  *

 

Sleepovers were a common occurrence after that. No one really talked about how it started happening.

School sucked, as always. It was worse than before in some ways. Nancy was now officially dating Jonathan and while Steve tried not to care, it was hard to be deaf to other people’s comments. He was glad that Nancy still talked to him, that Jonathan did, too, and that they started to regularly eat lunch together.

 

It was easier to be with them than with other people who didn’t _know_. Who were ignorant and oblivious. Every day he spent time with Nancy and Jonathan, he started to feel less nauseous and more okay with the situation that they were together, and more and more glad to just spend time with them. With his friends, he realized. Even before Steve realized that they were, in fact, friends, they started to have sleepovers at the Byers'.

 

It started the weekend after the Monster Hunting Volume 2.

Steve had been feeling a little sorry for himself. Not yet eating lunch with the others, he felt utterly alone in school. Of course, he knew bunches of people. But he felt off, with nightmares being a recurring problem, now, and most people just seemed shallow.

He told himself he was just using the longer way because he didn’t want to come home to an empty house and that’s why he took the way that led past Hawkins’ Middle School. But he couldn’t deny the skip in his heart as he saw five particular kids standing at their bikes. He honked and pulled over.

"Hey, dickheads, how’s it going?", he asked.

Steve got out of the car and was promptly surrounded by a pack of pre-teens, all yelling at once.

"Steve", Dustin shouted excitedly, "we’re doing D&D night at Will’s tomorrow night and then have a sleepover. Even El is coming! Are you gonna join us?"

Dustin sounded so hopeful, that Steve couldn’t do anything but grin at him and say, "Sure, kid."

 _Keep telling yourself that’s the reason_ , a treacherous voice in his head said, only barely blocked out by the cheering of a bunch of fourteen year-olds.

"What’s going on here?", an amused voice behind Steve asked.

"Jonathan!", Will jumped over to his big brother, happily. "Steve’s coming to D&D night at our house!"

Jonathan raised his eyebrows at Steve and smiled. "Is he now? Well, I guess I’ll see you then, guys." For some reason it was mostly directed at Steve who felt a warmth spreading through his traitor of a body again.

"C’mon, Will, we’re gonna get some snacks for tomorrow."

Steve had stayed a little longer with the others, listening to Dustin bitch about the 'Demodog in the Fridge Fallout' again, before they said their goodbyes.

 

The next afternoon, when the kids (only relatively successfully) tried to explain D&D to Steve, he found himself very unsurprised by Nancy’s and Hopper’s presence. Nancy was here because of Jonathan, maybe because of Mike, and Hopper wouldn’t let El come here by herself.

He hadn’t really been surprised that they all found themselves in another puppy pile again. Not surprised but definitely warm and maybe even a little happy.

 

 

*  *  *

 

_He knocks on the door, yelling for Jonathan. He hates himself so much in that moment and wants nothing more than to apologize. It had felt good to tell Tommy and Carol off but it hadn’t been enough to quench the feeling of guilt and disgust. So he would start with apologizing to Jonathan._

_But it is Nancy who opens the Byers’ door. Steve is surprised but not as hurt as he thought he should be. And Nancy has a bandaged hand — there’s something wrong._

_-_

_Nancy is pointing a gun at him, and he’s freaked out but also in awe of her determination, strength and fierceness. He’s also maybe a little turned on._

_-_

_Suddenly there’s a freaking monster. It’s face is opening up and he’s running. Yelling and running. Jonathan and Nancy are yelling, too. Jonathan grabs him, pulling him down the hall. He’s jumping, and then they’re in Jonathan’s room._

_Nancy and Jonathan both yell at him. 'Shut up!' They’re staring him down and Steve’s heart skips a beat, the ferocity of their voices vibrating through him, loosening the tight grip of fear that has settled in him just a little._

_-_

_Steve is holding a bat. Nancy is unloading the gun into the monster._

_-_

_They set it on fire. He thinks it’s the heat of the burning monster that warms him, standing between Nancy and Jonathan. Then it’s gone. All that’s left is the echo of its screech._

 

Steve woke up drenched, the fear of the nightmare still sitting deep in his bones. He hadn’t dreamed about the First Encounter in a long time. There were so many more recent memories, fresher and worse.

Breathing heavily, he thought about the dream. He could swear, real life hadn’t felt like the dream. There had been the same bone-deep terror, obviously — but he was more shocked and hurt than surprised by discovering Nancy’s whereabouts.

Now though, all he could feel was the shadow of Jonathan’s warm hand on his, pulling him along. The warmth spreading through him, when they finished the monster off.

Weirdly enough, Steve didn’t feel as giddy as he usually did after nightmares (admittedly, lately they had all been dealing with one of his adopted dipshit kids getting murdered by the monster, it was hard to _not_ feel giddy and drained after that. He usually had to suppress the urge to call them immediately to make sure they were okay.) Tonight, he felt grounded. His breath had evened out and his thoughts grew hazy and slow. He wasn’t as out of breath as usually after these nightmares. And yeah, okay, he did feel the urge to call Nancy _and_ Jonathan. But it somehow wasn’t solely about making sure they were alright. For now, it was soothing enough to remember the feeling of their touches on him, though. He didn’t know why it mattered. He just knew it did. He’d figure it out in the morning, he thought, before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

 

When he woke up the next morning, well rested and relaxed, he didn’t know what to make of the warm feeling in his chest. He figured it didn’t matter, as long as he had actually _slept_.

 

*  *  *

 

After about five of the sleepovers, Steve realized that his nightmares never occurred on those nights. They were like big group therapy sessions.

He mentioned it at lunch the next day, even if a little hesitantly. He wanted to know if the others felt the same.

"It’s easier to sleep, when we’re all together", he admitted, lowly, so no one but them would hear in the loud canteen. "Fewer nightmares."

Nancy looked up, surprised. "Yeah", she breathed and it sounded so relieved. Like she was afraid she had been the only one to feel that way.

"Yeah", she said again, steadier this time. "I can barely stand sleeping alone, anymore. I don’t only want Jonathan there, I want you there, too. And sometimes even my kid brother and his nerd friends."

Steve’s heart skipped a beat at her admission. Nancy turned red like she hadn’t meant to say that and her eyes flicked over to Jonathan. He looked surprisingly unbothered. Instead, he looked between the two of them with a look of contemplation. "Is it—", he looked around. "Is it weird that I feel the same?" His voice was barely more than a whisper and sent a thrill down Steve’s spine, for some reason.

Nancy smiled at him, brightly, and Steve had the feeling she knew something he didn’t.

"I wouldn’t mind company, either", he said, "like, apart from the little assholes. And also more than just on weekends. Weekends are awesome with the kids, but I want to sleep through the night other nights, too…"

Nancy’s face fell a little, like that wasn’t exactly what she wanted to hear.

Still, she suggested, "How about we have sleepover of our own tonight? The three of us?"

Jonathan smiled at her and then looked at Steve with hopeful puppy eyes that rivaled his brother’s.

"That would be great", Steve grinned. "At my place? My parents are gone, again."

He was met with matching, blinding smiles.

 

*  *  *

 

That afternoon, before Nancy and Jonathan were to come over, Steve tried to relax. For some reason, he felt wired. Their matching smiles had been doing funny things to his insides.

He tried not to think about them. But how could he not. It wasn’t like he didn’t know what that meant, was it? He knew exactly what that meant. For him, anyways. He had been living with that feeling for over a year, whenever Nance had sent that smile his way. What freaked him out was that he felt the same tingling when Jonathan smiled at him like that. He didn’t know what to make of that. Or rather he chose not to make anything of it. It still made him giddy and anxious to know that they would stay over, that it was to late to cancel. And if he was being honest, he didn’t want to cancel. That would mean another sleepless night dreading nightmares.

So he busied himself with pulling mattresses together in the living room. He didn’t want them sleeping on the floor in his room. He wanted the warm contact of people lying next to him, like he always had with the sleepovers. So this was the next best option. It was also known territory, in a way.

 

Trying to get some excess energy out of his system, Steve busied himself with making food for his guests. He felt like he was doing that a lot lately — preparing food for other people. He didn’t mind, though. It seemed to make them happy and meant he had something to do.

He got so distracted by the casserole that the ringing of the bell almost gave him a heart attack.

Rushing to the door, he wiped his sweaty hands. He knew his pulse was a lost cause now and he wouldn’t get it under control anymore. Not after that heart attack and the additional adrenaline that pumped through his veins because of his anxious excitement.

 

He plastered a smile on his face, sure it looked like a grimace and opened the door with a deep breath.

As soon as he looked into Nancy and Jonathan’s faces, though, he could feel his face muscles relax, the smile turning real. When they returned it with smiles of their own, Steve’s heart picked up its pace again, even though he didn’t know how that was even possible.

"Hey", he breathed. He felt pathetic, thinking his inner reaction was probably all over his face. He also knew he couldn’t deny it anymore. There was no escape. He had feelings. For both of them.

Didn’t mean he knew what to do with that (old) news.

 

*  *  *

 

It was a surprisingly easy and relaxed evening, despite Steve’s mental breakdown that no one seemed to have caught on to (which Steve was immeasurably grateful for).

He had loaded the casserole into the oven and while they waited, they watched a movie and talked about school.

It felt normal. Steve didn’t spend all evening wondering if everyone was okay. He could take his mind off things. But it also made Steve _happy_.

After dinner, they turned off the lights in the living room but left on the ones in the hallways. None of them liked the dark anymore. They made themselves comfortable on the mattresses, huddling close together, Nancy wedged between them and cuddled into Jonathan. Their conversations got more serious. The low lights made it easier to speak about the horrors they had seen, about the problems they had, their fears and plans for the future.

Steve never had been able to talk like that with anyone, before. He’d never had friends like this. People who didn’t judge him, who called him out on his bullshit but would also protect him with everything they’ve got. It was nice.

Nancy talked about Barb. She told them about their adventures. How their dolls had been undercover agents that fought off monsters.

She talked about how happy she was that they could give Barb a funeral now. And how much she missed her. How she never had thought to be really facing monsters, especially not without Barb.

When Nancy started to cry, Jonathan pulled her in tightly. Steve’s and Jonathan’s eyes met. Jonathan looked as pained as Steve felt, both still so sorry that Barb hadn’t made it, that Nance lost her best friend like this. They were still looking at each other when Steve lifted his hand to put it onto Nancy’s back, soothingly. Jonathan didn’t say a word. If anything, he looked relieved.

They fell asleep like this.

 

*  *  *

 

Someone’s hand squeezed his where it lay next to him. When he opened his eyes to look, expecting Nancy smiling at him, Steve’s heart skipped a beat when his gaze was met by Jonathan’s dark eyes, instead, who smiled a little ruefully, before trying to extract his hand. Steve had no clue what was going on but some reflex made him hold on. After a second, Jonathan relaxed and hid his mouth in Nancy’s shoulder, who was still wrapped around Jonathan, but Steve could swear he saw Jonathan blush and smile anyway. During the night, Steve had migrated closer to Nancy, too. His and Jonathan’s hands were wedged tightly between her back and Steve’s stomach.

Steve didn’t know what was riding him, but he was warm from sleep, happy to have his friends around and content from a good night of sleep, so he didn’t put much thought behind his actions.

Jonathan jumped when Steve’s thumb was brushing over his hand, lightly.

His grip tightened on Nancy and made her stir while his big eyes stared at Steve. He looked scared, like he was trying to figure out if Steve was making fun of him, like he couldn’t believe this was real.

Steve didn’t really know what he was doing or what _this_ was (because how did you handle the fact that you wanted to date _both_ of your best friends who also happened to be a couple). But he knew that he wasn’t joking, that he never wanted Jonathan to look at him like this. So he stared right back, not breaking into a laugh and even waiting for half a minute, before tentatively smiling at Jonathan.

It took another minute in which Nancy successfully disentangled herself from Jonathan to look between the two of them, before he slowly smiled back.

It sent a tingling shiver down Steve’s spine.

 

For someone who just woke up, Nancy was surprisingly well informed about whatever had transpired here, looking between the two of them.

Steve didn’t know if it was her sleepiness or if she would have handled the situation as bluntly at any given time. He also didn’t know if he should blame his own sleepy content for not running away right the instant she finished her sentence. He thought he must’ve looked shocked but his heart had leapt at the idea, happiness filling him. He had still been staring at Jonathan so Steve knew he had looked shocked, but also hopeful. So very, very hopeful.

Nancy’s words would ring through Steve’s mind throughout all his classes and he wouldn’t be able to concentrate in the least. "So, are we all gonna date each other now? Because I really want that."

But even better would be the memory of Nancy’s lips meeting his again after such a long time and Jonathan’s lips on his for the first time ever. The best memory would be their soft kisses before they had left the house.

 

 

*  *  *

 

Jonathan slumped down onto the bed on Steve’s right, breathless and sated. Nancy was lying on his left already and tracing his hand with her delicate fingers. Steve marveled at the fact that these small hands were able to use a gun so efficiently.

Jonathan pressed a few kisses along Steve’s neck before he buried his head in his shoulder, not caring about the sweat in the slightest.

Steve was filled with such a warmth, lying here, between those two beautiful people, who had so much love in their hearts he couldn’t keep himself from kissing the top of Jonathan’s head. He felt more as saw the smile Jonathan threw Nancy’s way.

 

A while, they just lay there. Nancy lacing and unlacing Steve’s and her hand, Jonathan softly drumming a rhythm (probably the Clash, if Steve had to bet), onto Steve’s naked chest, and Steve stroking his fingers lightly over Byers’ back.

 

"You know what Bauman said, the morning after we stayed over?", Jonathan asked suddenly.

Steve looked down at him, a little crosseyed. "Threw you out and told you never to come back? Yeah, you said that before. Why?"

Jonathan shook his head slightly, as if not to dislodge Steve’s arm on his back. "That’s not what I meant. Before that. When we ate breakfast."

Suddenly Nancy started to giggle, and even Jonathan, who laughed so rarely, chuckled a little and the grin was reflected in his voice. Steve wanted to hold on to this moment forever, wanted to capture that small laugh on a tape, like Jonathan captured faces on film. He’s incapable of doing that, so he swore to himself to make Jonathan laugh more instead.

They’re both still laughing so Steve moved his shoulder a bit, not enough to really dislodge Jonathan, just a little nudge. "What did he say? Don’t make me curious just to keep me waiting, Byers!

Under Nancy’s continuous laughter, he told Steve, "He asked me how the 'pull-out' was", before chuckling again.

It didn’t sting anymore, that they’d had sex back then (without him, and technically behind his back). And if Steve was honest, the only reason why it had hurt at all was because that meant Nancy didn’t love him anymore and maybe never really loved him at all. They had told him that it had happened and he was just happy to be here now. They’ve been monster hunting together more than once now, and he didn’t have it in him to still hold a grudge over mundane things like that. There were worse people to hold grudges against. Like Tommy and Carol. Or Billy fucking Hargrove. (Okay, maybe his definition of mundane was a little crooked.) His point was: he didn’t have it in him to hold a grudge against people who really cared about him, people that he loved, when there were worse people out there to hold a grudge against.

Steve grinned and asked, "What?"

In between laughters, Nancy managed to wheeze. "Yes — and Jonathan — choked — on his OJ."

They were both shaking with laughter so hard, that Steve vibrated with it. He couldn’t contain his own laughter for much longer but he wanted to be able to hear as much of theirs as possible. "And then?", he asked.  
Jonathan’s voice was breathless, "He clarified that he meant the couch."

And that was it — Steve couldn’t stop himself from falling into mindless happy giggles.  
They kept going like this for so long, Steve wondered if it had turned to hysterical laughter at some point.

 

When they’ve calmed down enough, they began to lazily kiss — Jonathan and Steve, Steve and Nancy, Nancy and Jonathan — and roam each other’s bodies with hungry but loving hands.

"I wish I could’ve witnessed that", Steve tells them between kisses, his hands on Jonathan’s face.

He didn’t sound angry or jealous. He didn’t feel angry or jealous or sad. If anything, he felt a little rueful he missed it — of course, back then he might have felt sick if he had to witness it. Telling Nancy to go with Byers had been one thing. Them making out, too. Because if she didn't want to be with him, Steve wouldn’t force her. But it would have hurt to see it with his own eyes. Now it didn’t, and he was glad for that.

"But", he said with a small smile. "While you guys were scheming and giving the world a watered down story — I’ve been babysitting."

He lifted one hand off Jonathan’s face, running it through Nancy’s hair. He looked in her beautiful eyes and asked, "did _I_ ever tell you how the dipshits kidnapped me?"

"Only tidbits." Nancy’s smile was as brilliant as ever and she had an eager glint in her eyes.

"You know, I was just about to come to your place, to apologize. I brought flowers and everything. I didn’t even know what I was going to apologize for." He let out a laugh, his eyes roaming over Nancy, then Jonathan, then Nancy again.

"Suddenly, there’s Dustin ripping the flowers from my hands, telling me you’re not there. He tells me to get in the car _right now_ because this is an emergency. And before I can even turn around he’s sitting in the car himself. He made me go into his storm cellar to go after Dart." Steve shook his head, smiling at the others, glad that this horror movie was over.

Nancy snorted. "He told me that the best thing was your expression when you asked him if he was sure Dart wasn’t just a lizard. You know, I’d say Dustin exaggerated your reaction when he told you that 'his face opened up and he ate my cat' but I am _pretty_ sure you actually made that face. I’ve seen you make it before." She laughed again while Jonathan played with her hand and Steve’s hand was still buried in her hair. Steve threw Byers a look and if his own smile looked anything like Jonathan's, it spoke of love and adoration, if not complete devotion.

"First of all, when and why did the asshat tell you that? Second of all, you would trust Dustin more than me?", Steve asked, mock-shocked. "I’m hurt, Wheeler, hurt!"

"I danced with him at Snow Ball." Nancy smiled before burrowing her face in Steve’s shoulder.

Now it was Jonathan’s turn to snort but when he spoke his tone was serious. "You’re really good with the boys, though, Steve. They adore you."

Steve tried to shrug nonchalantly. It didn’t work too well, with two other bodies lying half on top of him. "I was just being responsible. And I think I adore them a little, too", he admitted with a small grin. His admission was rewarded with _two_ brilliant smiles. These dorks loved their siblings so much, they would do anything for them. Hell, Steve would do anything for these kids. "But I don’t adore them as much as you." God, when did he turn into such a sappy brat?

It was incredible what a monster hunting trip could change.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are very welcome!
> 
> You're also very welcome to drop by my [Tumblr](http://sophoklesworld.tumblr.com).


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